Improved process of preserving wood



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRI DE LAPPARENT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

IMPROVED PROCESS OF PRESERVING WOOD.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 35,81 1, dated July 8, 1862.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRI DE LAPPARENT, of Paris, in the Empire of France, engineer, have invented anew or improved mode of preservation of wood chiefly applicable to ships or other maritime works; and I do hereby (leclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same;

My invention refers to a new or improved mode of preserving wood or timber principally as concerns ship-building and other maritime works, such as wharfs, piers, piling-foundations, dams, 850.; and it consists in partly or superficially carbonizing such parts of the Wood or timber used in any structure as it may be desirable to protect by such means, by subiecting them to the action of the flame of gas after they have been placed together and united.

In performing my invention the gas may be employed in a single jet, or in two or more jets, from a burner or burners of any suitable kind, and the gas may be supplied to the said burner or burners by means of a flexible pipe or pipes or other means which permit them to be moved about to direct the flame over different portions of the surface to be singed or carbonized. The

- gas which I propose generally to use is carbureted hydrogen.

[ This process of carbonizi-ng may be performed from time to time on the several parts of the structure as its construction is pro ceeded with-forinstance, in ship-buildin g the frame may be carbonized before the planking or skin is applied, and the planking or skin be carbonized after it is in its place.

I am aware that the carbonization of the surface of wood to preserve it against decay has been commonly practiced; but I believe that heretofore the wood has always been subjected to the process piece by piece by placing it in a fire or hot sand bath. My process can be more conveniently applied.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The carbonization of such parts of the wood or timber used in any structure as it may be desirable to protect by such means. by subjecting the said parts to the action of the flame of gas after they have been placed and united together in the structure, substantially as herein specified.

H. DE LAPPARENT.

Witnesses Gno. HUTTON,

O. DELNOT. 

